essays on life, art and science-第13章

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imagine　to　have　been　presented　to　her　by　the　parents　of　pupils　who
were　leaving　school。　　One　has　given　her　a　photographic　album；
another　a　large　scrap…book；　for　illustrations　of　all　kinds；　a　third
volume　has　red　edges；　and　is　presumably　of　a　devotional　character。
If　I　dared　venture　another　criticism；　I　should　say　it　would　be
better　not　to　keep　the　ink…pot　on　the　top　of　these　books。　　The　Lady
Principal　is　being　read　to　by　the　monitress　for　the　week；　whose　duty
it　was　to　recite　selected　passages　from　the　most　approved　Hebrew
writers；　she　appears　to　be　a　good　deal　outraged；　possibly　at　the
faulty　intonation　of　the　reader；　which　she　has　long　tried　vainly　to
correct；　or　perhaps　she　has　been　hearing　of　the　atrocious　way　in
which　her　forefathers　had　treated　the　prophets；　and　is　explaining　to
the　young　ladies　how　impossible　it　would　be；　in　their　own　more
enlightened　age；　for　a　prophet　to　fail　of　recognition。

On　the　half…dais；　as　I　suppose　the　large　semicircular　step　between
the　main　room　and　the　dais　should　be　called；　we　find；　first；　the
monitress　for　the　week；　who　stands　up　while　she　recites；　and
secondly；　the　Virgin　herself；　who　is　the　only　pupil　allowed　a　seat
so　near　to　the　august　presence　of　the　Lady　Principal。　　She　is
ostensibly　doing　a　piece　of　embroidery　which　is　stretched　on　a
cushion　on　her　lap；　but　I　should　say　that　she　was　chiefly　interested
in　the　nearest　of　four　pretty　little　Cupids；　who　are　all　trying　to
attract　her　attention；　though　they　pay　no　court　to　any　other　young
lady。　　I　have　sometimes　wondered　whether　the　obviously　scandalised
gesture　of　the　Lady　Principal　might　not　be　directed　at　these　Cupids；
rather　than　at　anything　the　monitress　may　have　been　reading；　for　she
would　surely　find　them　disquieting。　　Or　she　may　be　saying；　〃Why；
bless　me！　　I　do　declare　the　Virgin　has　got　another　hamper；　and　St。
Anne's　cakes　are　always　so　terribly　rich！〃　　Certainly　the　hamper　is
there；　close　to　the　Virgin；　and　the　Lady　Principal's　action　may　be
well　directed　at　it；　but　it　may　have　been　sent　to　some　other　young
lady；　and　be　put　on　the　sub…dais　for　public　exhibition。　　It　looks　as
if　it　might　have　come　from　Fortnum　and　Mason's；　and　I　half　expected
to　find　a　label；　addressing　it　to　〃The　Virgin　Mary；　Temple　College；
Jerusalem；〃　but　if　ever　there　was　one　the　mice　have　long　since　eaten
it。　　The　Virgin　herself　does　not　seem　to　care　much　about　it；　but　if
she　has　a　fault　it　is　that　she　is　generally　a　little　apathetic。

Whose　the　hamper　was；　however；　is　a　point　we　shall　never　now
certainly　determine；　for　the　best　fossil　is　worse　than　the　worst
living　form。　　Why；　alas！　was　not　Mr。　Edison　alive　when　this　chapel
was　made？　　We　might　then　have　had　a　daily　phonographic　recital　of
the　conversation；　and　an　announcement　might　be　put　outside　the
chapels；　telling　us　at　what　hours　the　figures　would　speak。

On　either　of　side　the　main　room　there　are　two　annexes　opening　out
from　it；　these　are　reserved　chiefly　for　the　younger　children；　some
of　whom；　I　think；　are　little　boys。　　In　the　left…hand　annex；　behind
the　ladies　who　are　making　a　mitre；　there　is　a　child　who　has　got　a
cake；　and　another　has　some　fruitpossibly　given　them　by　the　Virgin…
…and　a　third　child　is　begging　for　some　of　it。　　The　light　failed　so
completely　here　that　I　was　not　able　to　photograph　any　of　these
figures。　　It　was　a　dull　September　afternoon；　and　the　clouds　had
settled　thick　round　the　chapel；　which　is　never　very　light；　and　is
nearly　4000　feet　above　the　sea。　　I　waited　till　such　twilight　as　made
it　hopeless　that　more　detail　could　be　gotand　a　queer　ghostly　place
enough　it　was　to　wait　inbut　after　giving　the　plate　an　exposure　of
fifty　minutes；　I　saw　I　could　get　no　more；　and　desisted。

These　long　photographic　exposures　have　the　advantage　that　one　is
compelled　to　study　a　work　in　detail　through　mere　lack　of　other
employment；　and　that　one　can　take　one's　notes　in　peace　without　being
tempted　to　hurry　over　them；　but　even　so　I　continually　find　I　have
omitted　to　note；　and　have　clean　forgotten；　much　that　I　want　later
on。

In　the　other　annex　there　are　also　one　or　two　younger　children；　but
it　seems　to　have　been　set　apart　for　conversation　and　relaxation　more
than　any　other　part　of　the　establishment。

I　have　already　said　that　the　work　is　signed　by　an　inscription　inside
the　chapel；　to　the　effect　that　the　sculptures　are　by　Pietro　Aureggio
Termine　di　Biella。　　It　will　be　seen　that　the　young　ladies　are
exceedingly　like　one　another；　and　that　the　artist　aimed　at　nothing
more　than　a　faithful　rendering　of　the　life　of　his　own　times。　　Let　us
be　thankful　that　he　aimed　at　nothing　less。　　Perhaps　his　wife　kept　a
girls'　school；　or　he　may　have　had　a　large　family　of　fat；　good…
natured　daughters；　whose　little　ways　he　had　studied　attentively；　at
all　events　the　work　is　full　of　spontaneous　incident；　and　cannot　fail
to　become　more　and　more　interesting　as　the　age　it　renders　falls
farther　back　into　the　past。　　It　is　to　be　regretted　that　many
artists；　better　known　men；　have　not　been　satisfied　with　the　humbler
ambitions　of　this　most　amiable　and　interesting　sculptor。　　If　he　has
left　us　no　laboured　life…studies；　he　has　at　least　done　something　for
us　which　we　can　find　nowhere　else；　which　we　should　be　very　sorry　not
to　have；　and　the　fidelity　of　which　to　Italian　life　at　the　beginning
of　the　last　century　will　not　be　disputed。

The　eighth　chapel　is　that　of　the　Sposalizio；　is　certainly　not　by
Aureggio；　and　I　should　say　was　mainly　by　the　same　sculptor　who　did
the　Presentation　in　the　Temple。　　On　going　inside　I　found　the　figures
had　come　from　more　than　one　source；　some　of　them　are　constructed　so
absolutely　on　Valsesian　principles；　as　regards　technique；　that　it
may　be　assumed　they　came　from　Varallo。　　Each　of　these　last　figures
is　in　three　pieces；　that　are　baked　separately　and　cemented　together
afterwards；　hence　they　are　more　easily　transported；　no　more　clay　is
used　than　is　absolutely　necessary；　and　the　off…side　of　the　figure　is
neglected；　they　will　be　found　chiefly；　if　not　entirely；　at　the　top
of　the　steps。　　The　other　figures　are　more　solidly　built；　and　do　not
remind　me　in　their　business　features　of　anything　in　the　Valsesia。
There　was　a　sculptor；　Francesco　Sala；　of　Locarno　（doubtless　the
village　a　short　distance　below　Varallo；　and　not　the　Locarno　on　the
Lago　Maggiore）；　who　made　designs　for　some　of　the　Oropa　chapels；　and
some　of　whose　letters　are　still　preserved；　but　whether　the　Valsesian
figures　in　this　present　work　are　by　him　or　not　I　cannot　say。

The　statues　are　twenty…five　in　number；　I　could　find　no　date　or
signature；　the　work　reminds　me　of　Montrigone；　several　of　the　figures
are　not　at　all　bad；　and　several　have　horsehair　for　hair；　as　at
Varallo。　　The　effect　of　the　whole　composition　is　better　than　we　have
a　right　to　expect　from　any　sculpture　dating　from　the　beginning　of
the　last　century。

The　ninth　chapel；　the　Annunciation；　presents　no　feature　of　interest；
nor　yet　does　the　tenth；　the　Visit　of　Mary　to　Elizabeth。　　The
eleventh；　the　Nativity；　though　rather　better；　is　still　not
remarkable。

The　twelfth；　the　Purification；　is　absurdly　bad；　but　I　do　not　know
whether　the　expression　of　strong　personal　dislike　to　the　Virgin
which　the　High　Priest　wears　is　intended　as　prophetic；　or　whether　it
is　the　result　of　incompetence；　or　whether　it　is　merely　a　smile　gone
wrong　in　the　baking。　　It　is　amusing　to　find　Marocco；　who　has　not
been　strict　about　archaeological　accuracy　hitherto；　complain　here
that　there　is　an　anachronism；　inasmuch　as　some　young　ecclesiastics
are　dressed　as　they　would　be　at　present；　and　one　of　them　actually
carries　a　wax　candle。　　This　is　not　as　it　should　be；　in　works　like
those　at　Oropa；　where　implicit　reliance　is　justly　placed　on　the
earnest　endeavours　that　have　been　so　successfully　made　to　thoroughly
and　carefully　and　patiently　ensure　the　accuracy　of　the　minutest
details；　it　is　a　pity　that　even　a　single　error　should　have　escaped
detection；　this；　however；　has　most　unfortunately　happened　here；　and
Marocco　feels　it　his　duty　to　put　us　on　our　guard。　　He　explains　that
the　mistake　arose　from　the　sculptor's　having　taken　both　his　general
arrangement　and　his　details　from　some　picture　of　the　fourteenth　or
fifteenth　century；　when　the　value　of　the　strictest　historical
accuracy　was　not　yet　so　fully　understood。

It　seems　to　me　that　in　the　matter　of　accuracy；　priests　and　men　of
science　whether　lay　or　regular　on　the　one　hand；　and　plain　people
whether　lay　or　regular　on　the　other；　are　trying　to　play　a　different
game；　and　fail　to　understand　one　another　because　they　do　not　see
that　their　objects　are　not　the　same。　　The　cleric　and　the　man　of
science　（who　is　only　the　cleric　in　his　latest　development）　are
trying　to　develop　a　throat　with　two　distinct　passagesone　that
shall　refuse　to　pass　even　the　smallest　gnat；　and　another　that　shall
gracefully　gulp　even　the　largest　camel；　whereas　we　men　of　the　street
desire　but　one　throat；　and　are　content　that　this　shall　swallow
nothing　bigger　than　a　pony。　　Every　one　knows　that　there　is　no　such
effectual　means　of　developing　the　power　to　swallow　camels　as
incessant　watchfulness　for　opportunities　of　straining　at　gnats；　and
this　should　explain　many　passages　that　puzzle　us　in　the　work　both　of
our　clerics　and　our　scientists。　　I；　not　being　a　man　of　science；
still　continue　to　do　what　I　said　I　did　in　〃Alps　and　Sanctuaries；〃
and　make　it　a　rule　to　earnestly　and　patiently　and　carefully　swallow
a　few　of　the　smallest　gnats　I　can　find　several　times　a　day；　as　the
best　astringent　for　the　throat　I　know　of。

The　thirteenth　chapel　is　the　Marriage　Feast　at　Cana　of　Galilee。
This　is　the　best　chapel　as　a　work　of　art；　indeed；　it　is　the　only　one
which　can　claim　to　be　taken　quite　seriously。　　Not　that　all　the
figures　are　very　good；　those　to　the　left　of　the　composition　are
commonplace　enough；　nor　are　the　Christ　and　the　giver　of　the　feast　at
all　remarkable；　but　the　ten　or　dozen　figures　of　guests　and
attendants　at　the　right…hand　end　of　the　work　are　as　good　as　anything
of　their　kind　can　be；　and　remind　me　so　strongly　of　Tabachetti　that　I
cannot　doubt　they　were　done　by　some　one　who　was　indirectly
influenced　by　that　great　sculptor's　work。　　It　is　not　likely　that
Tabachetti　was　alive　long　after　1640；　by　which　time　he　would　have
been　about　eighty　years　old；　and　the　foundations　of　this　chapel　were
not　laid　till　about　1690；　the　statues　are　probably　a　few　years
later；　they　can　hardly；　therefore；　be　by　one　who　had　even　studied
under　Tabachetti；　but　until　I　found　out　the　dates；　and　went　inside
the　chapel　to　see　the　way　in　which　the　figures　had　been　constructed；
I　was　inclined　to　think　they　might　be　by　Tabachetti　himself；　of
whom；　indeed；　they　are　not　unworthy。　　On　examining　the　figures　I
found　them　more　heavily　constructed　than　Tabachetti's　are；　with
smaller　holes　for　taking　out　superfluous　clay；　and　more　finished　on
the　off…sides。　　Marocco　says　the　sculptor　is　not　known。　　I　looked　in
vain　for　any　date　or　signature。　　Possibly　the　right…hand　figures
（for　the　left…hand　ones　can　hardly　be　by　the　same　hand）　may　be　by
some　sculptor　from　Crea；　which　is　at　no　very　great　distance　from
Oropa；　who　was　penetrated　by　Tabachetti's　influence；　but　whether　as
regards　action　and　concert　with　one　another；　or　as　regards
excellence　in　d